Barbara Chadwick Bland

Barbara Chadwick Bland Artist Bio

Barbara Chadwick is originally from Toronto, Canada. She received her BFA from Indiana University, Bloomington and MFA from Ohio University, Athens Ohio. After graduate school she moved to Houston, TX and taught college level art classes while running a home studio.

She began entering craft shows and has had the privilege of showing at some of the finest, including the Smithsonian Craft Show and Cherry Creek. Barbara was an artist in residence at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and invited to participate in an international ceramic symposium in Germany.

Her work has been included in various publications including Ceramics Monthly, Southwest Art, "Teapots, Makers and Collectors", "500 Cups", and "The Ceramic Design Book."

Barbara Chadwick Bland Artist Statement

I hand build one-of-a-kind porcelain teapots, vessels and architectural forms. My pieces often incorporate highly decorative surfaces which are inspired by nature, graphic design and textiles but I can find inspiration anywhere really. I work both intuitively and intellectually, trying not to design too much ahead of time. Much of my current work reflects an ongoing fascination with collage.

To create the surfaces I utilize a variety of items, including handmade and commercial stamps to add texture to the clay slabs. I then construct the piece from the patterned slab and dry it very slowly before firing to bisque temperature. Ceramic pigments and slips are applied then a coat of transparent glaze. During this firing, the glaze saturates the pigment in the underglaze and brings out the brilliant colors. It also seals the surface.

There is a quirky playful quality to my work which reflects my enjoyment of the medium but I also strive to convey a sense of sophistication and fine craftsmanship in each piece.